Up to $500,000 is on offer for WA small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) looking to enter key Asian markets in the latest round of the Access Asia Business Grants program.
Twenty grants worth up to $25,000 each are available to support WA businesses and organisations to grow trade with key Asian markets.
The new round focuses on helping businesses build and maintain competitiveness in Asian markets to contribute to the WA economy.
Businesses must be working in one of the priority sectors identified in Diversify WA — the McGowan Government’s economic development framework.
Priority sectors include energy, tourism, events and creative industries, international education, defence industries, mining and mining equipment, technology and services, space industries, health and medical life sciences, and primary industries.
Grants are also open to industry associations and Asian business councils to support their business efforts in Asia, particularly in key markets such as China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore and South Korea.
Read more: Going global — are you export ready?
Head of CCIWA’s International Trade and Investment Centre, Michael Carter, said the Access Asia Grant provided a terrific opportunity for WA businesses to develop and expand their international footprint in the Asian region “which today represents 42 per cent of the world’s economy and growing”.
“Businesses can utilise this grant funding to hone their Asian international engagement to access new Asian markets and position their business to understand the in-market opportunities and end-user demand for their products and services,” he said.
“With nine out of 10 of our top trading partners in Asia, WA businesses are in a great position to expand into the dynamic Asian rim and benefit from the myriad of free trade agreements and also the benefits of this grant program.”
The ITIC team has decades of proven expertise and experience to assist businesses to undertake export market research and sector insights, design bespoke export marketing plans, market entry strategies, business matching and identify suitable in-market channel partners.
State Development, Jobs and Trade Minister Roger Cook said: “Western Australian businesses have a long and strong history of diversifying their products into Asian markets.”
“We want to see more local businesses export internationally and the Access Asia grants aim to support SMEs to build opportunities in rapidly growing Asian markets,” he said.
Expressions of interest for the new round of Access Asia Business Grants opened on February 17 and close on March 4. To apply see here.
AT CCIWA’s International Trade and Investment Centre (ITIC) we are here to help businesses reduce the time, cost and risk of going global. Contact the team for a free consultation on (08) 9365 7620 or via [email protected].
